Container



CONTAINER Filed April 18, 1936 ATTORNEYJ,

Patented Jan. 17, 1939 UNITED STTES einem oFFlc-E Application April 18,

4 Claims.

This invention relates to a container and method of making the same, andhas for its purpose the provision of a container which will either openout completely flat or be folded into a closed box and so held rigidlyand with parts in alignment solely by the intertting action of thevarious adjacent edges.

It particularly aims to provide such a container which may be made outof a combination of plastic and flexible materials, and without limitingmyself to any definite materials I mention that in practice it has beenconstructed satisfactorily, both from the standpoint of i manufactureand of use, from rubber-impregnated cloth to which a further thicknessof rubber is appropriately applied and vulcanized thereto by methodsknown in the art. My container can also be made of other natural orsynthetic plastic materials and may be made with appropriate inside andoutside finish.

To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, Vsaidinvention, then, consists of the means hereinafter fully described andparticularly pointed out in :the claims.

The `annexed `drawing and the following description -set forth in detailcertain structure emy bodying the invention, such disclosed meansconstituting, however, but one of various structural forms in which theprinciple of the invention may be used.

In the accompanying drawing: Fig. l is a perspective showing one form ofmy improved container set up but with the lid open; Fig. 2 `is acorresponding view showing the container opened fiat;

Fig. 3 is a transverse section through a junction, on the plane 3 3 ofFig. 2;

Fig. 4 is a view on the plane 4-4 of Fig. l, but with the lid down;

Fig. 5 is a transverse section corresponding to Fig. 3 but illustratinga modified construction.

The preferred embodiment of my container comprises a unitarystructurebuilt up by coating a plastic material on a flexible sheet ofappropriate strength and so dividing the coating material into sectionswhich are nevertheless connected by the pliable sheet, that thesesections when appropriately folded relative to one another constitute acomplete box whereof the parts hold one another together in closedformation. The pliable material, which for convenience of identicationwill be called the foundation sheet, may, for example, be a sheet ofcanvas or of lighter woven material, or may be a sheet of cords such ascustomarily employed for the making of cord 1936, Serial No. '75,136

(Cl. G- 52) tires, or a tough sheet of rubber or other material havingappropriate physical characteristics of strength and to which theplastic forming the thicker layer will adhere and cohere.

The foundation sheet l is preferably a single blank of the plan of thedeveloped box as shown in Fig. 2. If a textile fabric is used for thepurpose, such fabric will preferably initially be lilled with a toughflexible strengthening .material, an example of which is rubber appliedby pressure rolls in well known manner.

To this a further coating of desired material, which will be described`as rubber although such description is not intended to exclude othermaterials, is applied and wholly or partly hardened by suitablemechanism and methods.

Such coatings may be thin on the outside, as at 2 Figs. 3 and 5, andthicker on the inside as at 3, Fig. 3 and 4, Fig. 5.

Ordinarily the applied plastic will be hardened to the same degreethroughout, but for specialized uses it may be `desirable to harden itonly around the edges of the various parts of the box, and to leave itmore pliable in the middle portion. For example, in the event that thebox of Fig. 1 was being constructed for carrying goods where a degree ofbulging in the middle should be allowed for, the hardening could becomplete along the edge, as indicated `by the reference character 5,Fig. 3, and` a softer degree of vulcanization reached in the centralpart as at B,

Fig. 3, and as indicated there by the wider spaced shading.

The plastic coating 2, 3 or 2, 4 is molded into a single blank havingsections or panels as shown in Fig. 2, in which gure the parts of thebox are designated by `reference letters, A being the bottom, B thefront Wall, C the rear wall, D the right end, E the left end and F thetop. The applied plastic of the various sections is grooved in moldingto thinness at the edges, exposing or almost exposing the foundationsheet I which thus acts` as a hinge along the various edges. The plasticis formed at these edges at an appropriate angle to bear upon theadjacent edge when folded. For example in Fig, 3 the surfaces 9 and Hare bevelled to bear against one another when the back C is brought upto a right angle relationship tothe bottom A. Similarly, in Fig. 5

the surfaces 9 and Il' will abut when the two f selected as a simpleform of matching surface easily made and otherwise satisfactory, butthat the principle can be applied by the use of other matching surfaces.

In order to prevent strain at the joint in case one of the box portionsdrops down somewhat below the level of the other, the outer layer ofplastic 2 is-relieved at the joint as indicated by reference characterI2, Figs. 3 and 5.

In some circumstances a greater thickness may be advisable on the edgethan is needed for the main part of one of the box sections A to F, soas to give a suflicient bearing surface without undue weight. Such aconstruction is illustrated in Fig. 5 where the bevelled edges 9 and Ilotherwise corresponding to edges 9 and Il, Fig. 3, Vrise higher than themain thickness 4 of the interior plastic.

The foregoing ,application of the plastic to the foundation sheet andits shaping at the edges can be done byV a pressure head or other moldhaving appropriate surface. The parts A to F of the box are thusseparated by grooves when the box is in its initial flat condition inthe mold, corresponding to the showing of Fig. 2. These grooves must beso shaped and so spaced as to match throughout substantially theirentire abutting surfaces when the container is closed.

Illustrating the varieties of hardness possible in finishing the box,the range may be from a completely hard nish on the order of a knifehandle or a hard rubber comb, for example, to the resiliency* of anautomobile tire tread or even softer. I( In the gures of the drawingseveral possible joint details are shown as matters of illustration. Forexample, the lid F is shown on its front and its right end vwith anoverhanging lip 20 which ts into a corresponding rabbet on the front B,and ends D and E, thus holding up the front and ends when the lid isclosed. It will be appreciated that other constructions could be usedfor the same purpose.

Also the ends D and E do not exactly correspond. Differences of shapeare here shown to show possibilities within the scope of the invention.

My invention also provides for an interlocking on the adjacent edgesurfaces. Where unusual firmness is required. Such interlock maypreferably take the form best seen in Fig. 4, but also visible in Figs.l .and 2 at the right end. Here there are corresponding supplementalnotches, 23 in the bevelled edge of the side D and 24 in the bevellededge of the bottom A, with corresponding tongues 23 and 24, which t saidnotches, the angular relationship being such that when the side D ishinged upwardly from the flat position, the tongue 24 overrides andslightly clears the tongue 23 and dropsinto the notch 24. Such anarrangement may be either short as shown in Fig. 2 or may extend theentire length of the interengaging surfaces. It may be used on one orall of the hinged joints where needed for additional strength, stiffnessand close t. Further strengthening against motion is accomplished byforming the portion which carries the notch 23 as only a relativelyshort section, the ends of which bear against lugs such as 25 on the boxbottom A.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a box structurecombining strength, flexibility, ease of manufacture, and adaptabilityto a wide range of materials. It will be further seen that thiscontainer is capable of being formed in many different nishes and manydifferent details of form, proportion, and weight and strength of parts.

Other modes of applying the principle of my invention may be employedinstead of the one explained, change being made as regards the structureherein disclosed, provided the means stated by any of the followingclaims or the equivalent of such stated means be employed.

I therefore particularly point out and distinctly claim as my invention:

l. In a box of the character described and comprising mutually hingedwall portions, as a subcombination two complementary bevelled edgesadapted to abut when the box is closed, an opposed tongue and notch oneach of said edges, one of said tongue-and-notches being adapted toswing in a generally transverse direction into an intert with theopposing notch-and-tongue.

2. In a container of the class described, a foundation sheet, plasticmaterial based thereon and comprising panel elements adapted when closedto form the container and when open to lie flat, said panel elementscomprising edges wherein the plastic is of greater rigidity than themiddle portions.

3. In a container of the class described, a foundation sheet, plasticmaterial based thereon and comprising panel elements adapted when closedto form the container and when open to lie flat, said panel elementscomprising edges wherein the plastic is of greater rigidity and thickerthan the middle portions.

4. A unitary container comprising a plurality of panels forming bottom,sides and lid and adapted when open to lie flat and when folded togetherto constitute a box, a foundation sheet common to all said panels, saidpanels comprising plastic material coated upon said foundation and ofgreater rigidity along the edges than in the interior area, said edgesincluding outer surfaces each mutually abuttable to a correspondinglypositioned and shaped surface on an edge of another panel, the edges ofsaid lid being adapted to interlock with one edge of each of said sideswhen the box is closed.

RALPH L. KRYDER.

